A thorough practical knowledge of the processes described in the
present chapter will form a really good cook far sooner and more
completely than any array of mere receipts can do, however minutely
they may be explained ; they should, therefore, be well studied and
comprehended, before any attempt is made to compoun d difficult
dishes ; and the principles of roasting, boiling, stewing, and baking,
at least, ought to be clearly understood by every servant who under-
takes the duties of what is called plain cookery , which is, in fact, of
more importance than any other, because it is in almost universal
request in this country for families of moderate fortune ; and any
person who excels in it will easily become expert in what are consi-
dered the higher branches of the art.
In a vast number of English kitchens the cookery fails from the
hurried manner in which it is conducted, and from the excess of heat
produced by the enormous coal-fires constantly kept burning there
at all seasons, without which ignorant servants imagine no dinner can
be properly cooked ; a mistake which cannot fail quickly to become
apparent to the most inexperienced reader who will give a patient
trial to the slow methods of cooking recommended in the following
pages. These will be found to combine exceeding economy in the
consumption of fuel, wfith a degree of superiority in the food prepared
by them, which would scarcely be credited unless it were put to the
test. In stewing, and baking in closely covered vessels, this supe-
riority is more particularly remarkable ; and we would willingly give
a far larger space to so useful a subject than our limits will permit :
we are, however, compelled, though with regret, to restrict ourselves
to such details as w'e have now supplied in various parts of this
volume.
TO BOIL MEAT.
Boiling, in the usual English manner, is the least advantageous of
all modes of cooking meat, because a large portion of the nourishment
168
MODERN COOKERY.
[chap. IX.
which it contains is withdrawn from it in
the process, and it is usually yery insipid
in flavour.
We have aleady given, at the com-
mencement of Chapter I., the substance
of Liebeg’s instructions for scientific boil-
ing ; but for the convenience of the reader,
we will briefly recapitulate them here,
with such additions as our own observa-
tion has enabled us to supply.
Tn making soup, gravy, or savoury jelly of any kind, the principal
object is to extract from the meat used for the preparation, all the
nutriment and savour which it can be made to yield. This is effected
by putting it into cold water, and heating it very slowly indeed, and
then keeping it for a specified time at the point of boiling, or letting
it simmer in the gentlest manner; but when the meat itself is required
for food, its nutritious juices must be prevented from escaping as
much as possible, which is done by plunging it into fast boiling water
for a few minutes, to contract the pores of the surface (to harden it,
in fact), and adding immediately afterwards as much cold water as
will reduce the whole to a moderate temperature. Part of the water
should then be taken away, as meat should never be cooked in a
larger quantity than is absolutely needed to keep it entirely covered
until it is ready to serve ; for this reason it should be always boiled
in a vessel nearly of its own size.
Page 168
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A thorough practical knowledge of the processes described in the present chapter will form a really good cook far sooner and more completely than any array of mere receipts can do, however minutely they may be explained ; they should, therefore, be well studied and comprehended, before any attempt is made to compound difficult dishes ; and the principles of roasting, boiling, stewing, and baking, at least, ought to be clearly understood by every servant who undertakes the duties of what is called plain cookery , which is, in fact, of more importance than any other, because it is in almost universal request in this country for families of moderate fortune ; and any person who excels in it will easily become expert in what are considered the higher branches of the art.
In a vast number of English kitchens the cookery fails from the hurried manner in which it is conducted, and from the excess of heat produced by the enormous coal-fires constantly kept burning there at all seasons, without which ignorant servants imagine no dinner can be properly cooked ; a mistake which cannot fail quickly to become apparent to the most inexperienced reader who will give a patient trial to the slow methods of cooking recommended in the following pages. These will be found to combine exceeding economy in the consumption of fuel, with a degree of superiority in the food prepared by them, which would scarcely be credited unless it were put to the test. In stewing, and baking in closely covered vessels, this superiority is more particularly remarkable ; and we would willingly give a far larger space to so useful a subject than our limits will permit : we are, however, compelled, though with regret, to restrict ourselves to such details as w'e have now supplied in various parts of this volume.
TO BOIL MEAT.
Boiling, in the usual English manner, is the least advantageous of all modes of cooking meat, because a large portion of the nourishment
[chap. IX.
which it contains is withdrawn from it in the process, and it is usually yery insipid in flavour.
We have aleady given, at the commencement of Chapter I., the substance of Liebeg’s instructions for scientific boiling ; but for the convenience of the reader, we will briefly recapitulate them here, with such additions as our own observation has enabled us to supply.
Tn making soup, gravy, or savoury jelly of any kind, the principal object is to extract from the meat used for the preparation, all the nutriment and savour which it can be made to yield. This is effected by putting it into cold water, and heating it very slowly indeed, and then keeping it for a specified time at the point of boiling, or letting it simmer in the gentlest manner; but when the meat itself is required for food, its nutritious juices must be prevented from escaping as much as possible, which is done by plunging it into fast boiling water for a few minutes, to contract the pores of the surface (to harden it, in fact), and adding immediately afterwards as much cold water as will reduce the whole to a moderate temperature. Part of the water should then be taken away, as meat should never be cooked in a larger quantity than is absolutely needed to keep it entirely covered until it is ready to serve ; for this reason it should be always boiled in a vessel nearly of its own size.